Catatonia during pregnancy and the postpartum period

Abstract

While the psychopathology of mental disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period is a growing area of research, the prevalence and significance of catatonic symptoms has been relatively neglected. To address this gap in knowledge, a systematic review of articles on catatonia occurring during pregnancy and the postpartum period was conducted. PubMed, Excerpta Medica, (later EMBASE) databases were queried for articles published in English from their inception in 1966 and 1946, respectively to May 31. 2022 using the terms "catatonia", AND "perinatal", "puerperal", "postpartum", "antepartum" "lactation" "pregnancy" or "pregnancy-related", supplemented by a manual search of references. This review failed to identify any well-designed, prospective, or controlled studies addressing the subject of catatonia during pregnancy or the postpartum period; only one retrospective chart review, a single small case series, and twenty single case reports were found. The limited literature suggests that the clinical presentation and treatment response during pregnancy and after childbirth are similar to catatonia observed in other contexts. Catatonic signs and symptoms could affect physical and mental health, markedly compromising a mother's ability to take care of and bond with her infant. Further studies are needed to advance understanding of the role of catatonia in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of perinatal mental disorders.

Keywords: Benzodiazepines; Catatonia; Electroconvulsive therapy; Perinatal; Postpartum; Pregnancy.